The proposed exploratory research is designed to study the cultural meaning, attitude, and response styles associated with the issue of sexuality and pregnancy among black teenagers, the social psychological networks in black families facing the issue of teenage pregnancy and the relationship between mental health support systems in the identified families and their consequences for the teenager and the growth and development of the offspring. Specifically, this research will determine the particular process by which the black teenager handles the issue of sexuality and child-birth; what are the coping strategies and response styles associated with teenage pregnancy in black families; isolate and identify the variables associated with family mental health support systems which mediate the effects of teenage pregnancy and, given the cultural meaning of teenage pregnancy, what measurable effects adolescent pregnancy has on the teenager, the offspring and the teenager's family. In the proposed research, information and data will be collected primarily utilizing the systematic observation method, augmented with questionnaires, interviews and video-audio recordings. The proposed strategy is to have participant family members to discuss collectively and individually, the issue of teenage sexuality, pregnancy, and childbirth with direct assessments of the development issues. In modifying our application of the critical incident technique, the study will result in an assessment of interactional processes, as well as variable experimental and quasi-experimental imperatives associate with both the quantitative and qualitative measures.